Why the Humming Bird?
In 2004, we sat down and asked ourselves the question "if our business was an animal, what animal would say something about our values, our behaviours and the way we work?"
We toyed with being pumas, eagles and wombats but none was a serious contender. The process drew us to one particular little bird, the humming bird, and this is why.
It is hard to believe the aesthetic and physical magnificence of the humming bird; their speed, agility, colour and care with which they live and work. Unlike any other bird, a hummingbird can rotate its wings in a circle. Therefore, they can hover; fly forwards, backwards, up, down and sideways. They can even fly upside down if needs must. They are tiny, vibrant, humble creations that make magical things happen, without fuss, and seemingly without effort.
While they do their nectar gathering hovering before a flower, they beat their wings 80 beats a second - but you wouldn't know it.
We are passionate about this analogy. When rehearsing a conversation that could transform lives, we are before you, focusing on you. Behind the scenes our wings are beating, reacting in real time to you, noting, analysing and storing what you are doing and how you make us feel. We are adapting to challenge you but not panic you, stretch you but care for you.
A client said of us, 'you provide flashes of brilliance' - perhaps as the sunlight sparkles on those beautiful wings.
When I discussed our logo with one of our trusted partners, she remarked how humming birds cross-pollinate. Indeed, we go into organisations in a low-key way and make big transformational change happen. Our ideas are used across practice groups, silos, divisions.
If you have time to look at our logo of "Elizabeth", our humming bird, see upon what letter she is focusing.
It was only after deciding on the humming bird that we uncovered this myth of the Huichol Indians of Mexico.
"The Hummingbird symbolises transformation
She guides the young though the Nierika
The doorway to other worlds
She brings them to all of the places of power and knowledge"
We were so excited by this find. Surely we were hovering very clearly at the right symbol for who and what we are - and our wing beats rose to 200 a second, as hummingbirds' wing beats do, when they begin their courtship.
